Storage devices



Dec. 15, 1970 E. A. R. LARKING 5 5 STORAGE DEVICES Filed Aug. 14, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG3 132 77 2 4 79 /\X// ////J/'///A-V- United States Patent O 3,547,506 STORAGE DEVICES Ernest Alfred Reginald Larking, 6 Coldfall Ave., Muswell Hill, London, England Filed Aug. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 752,659 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Aug. 18, 1967, 38,271/ 67 Int. Cl. Ec 7/06 U.S. Cl. 312-222 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A storage device comprising a drawer arranged to be moved into and out of a complementary shell in a wall or door the drawer having a pair of control arms which cooperate, in a closed position of the drawer, with the shell to hold a weight above a platform having a projection and which release the weight on withdrawing the drawer in one direction so that on returning the drawer to a closed position the projection abuts the shell to prevent further withdrawal in that direction.

The present invention relates to a storage device comprising a drawer for mounting in an aperture.

Storage devices are known in which a drawer is mounted in an aperture in a wall or door the drawer having several compartments at the base of each of which a spring loaded or weighted flap is provided which carries a projection on its underside. When the drawer is empty it may be pulled out to the exterior of the wall or door and an article placed in it. The weight of the article depresses the corresponding flap such that the projection assumes a position lower than the level of a lip defining part of the aperture in which the drawer is disposed. The projection is approximately triangular in shape and when the drawer is returned the projection rides over the lip and then drops down again thus preventing withdrawal of the drawer again in the same direction. The drawer may then be withdrawn to the exterior of the wall or door in order to remove the article. On removal of the article the fiap returns to its inoperative position and the drawer may be withdrawn to the outside of the wall or door again.

With such an arrangement the prevention of repeated withdrawal of the drawer is dependent upon the deposition of an article. Also, the spring or weight must be strong or heavy enough respectively to return the fiap to its operative position but not so strong or heavy respectively to prevent the flap being depressed on deposition of an article. As the weight of an article may vary considerably the spring or weight must be carefully chosen. Furthermore, in the case of a spring, the returning moment on the fiap tends to decrease With use and this may result in sticking of the platform.

The object of the present invention is to produce a storage device in which these disadvantages are overcome or alleviated.

According to the present invention there is provided a storage device comprising a drawer arranged for mounting in an aperture from which the drawer may be withdrawn in either of two opposite directions, locking means having an operative condition in which said means prevent withdrawal of the drawer from a closed position in one direction and an inoperative condition in which drawer withdrawal is unimpeded by said means, wherein the improvement comprises control means including a control member cooperable with a defining surface of the aperture for rendering the locking means operative upon opening the drawer in said one direction from a closed position with the locking means inoperative, whereby to prevent further opening in said one direction upon the drawer being closed, said control member permitting return of 3547506 Patented Dec. 15, 1970 the locking means to the inoperative condition upon withdrawal of the drawer in the other direction and subsequent return of the drawer to the closed position.

With this storage device locking of the drawer to prevent withdrawal in one direction is independent of the deposition of an article in the drawer and also, consequently, of the weight of that article.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood two embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, With reference to the accompany drawings, in which,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view in section of one form of storage device, comprising a drawer in a metal shell,

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view in section taken along the line II- II of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view in section of another form of storage device comprising a drawer in a metal shell,

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view in section taken along the line IV-IV,

FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of parts of a control member for the devices of FIGS. 1 to 4,

FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C, respectively, show the orientation of the parts of the control member shown in FIG. 5 when the drawer is disposed in the shell, When the drawer is pulled out from the shell and when the drawer is subsequently pushed back into the shell.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 the storage device comprises a metal drawer 1 which is arranged to slide into and out of an aperture defined by a metal shell 2. The shell 2 is disposed in a wall or door such that the aperture defined by the shell 2 extends through that wall or door. Disposed in the drawer 1 is a locking device indicated generally by 3 which is partially enclosed in a casing 4. This locking device 3 comprises a platform 5 pivotally mounted through a pivot 6 on the floor of the drawer 1. Attached to the underside of the platform 5 on one side of the pivot 6 is a magnetic counterweight 7 which cooperates with a fixed magnet 8 on the drawer floor. Attached to the underside of the platform 5 on the other side of the pivot 6 is a projection 9 which is located directly above a complementary slit 10` formed in the drawer floor. The magnets 7 and 8 preferably comprise magnetic strips. The projection 9 is approximately triangular in shape and has rounded corners.

A weight 11 is Suspended above the platform 5 on the projection 9 side of the pivot point 6 by means of a rod 12 which is pivotally connected to a control member disposed in the upper part of the drawer. The control member comprises two arms 13 and 14 which are pivotally connected to each other and to two flanges 15 and 16 which are fixed to the casing 4. The pivotal connection of the arms 13 and 14 is such that depression of one arm l causes the other arm to rise and vice versa. An exploded view of the arms 13 and 14 is shown in FIG. 5. The rod 12 is pivotally connected to the control member through the arm 14. A spiral spring 17 having two free ends is wound around a projection on the arm 13, one of the free ends being wrapped around the arm 13 and the other free end being fixed to the casing 4; the spiral spring 17 may alternatively be wound around the pivot connecting the arms 13 and 14 together. The drawer 1 is provided with handles 24 and 18. The handle 24 being disposed at that end of the drawer 1 at the nterior of the wall or door in which the storage device is located and the handle 18 being disposed at that end of the drawer 1 at the exterior of the wall or door. A catch 23 is provided to lock the drawer 1 in its shell 2 from the interior of the wall or door.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 another form of storage device is shown which is similar in most respects to the storage device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this storage device, however, the locking device is disposed in a compartment at the end of the drawer 1 to the interior of the wall or door in which the storage device is located. A rail 21 is fixed to the top underside of the shell 2 extending lengthwise of, but not for the whole length of, the drawer 1. The control member which has the same Construction as the control member of FIGS. 1 and 2 cooperates with the underside of this rail instead of, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the underside of the shell 2.

The operation of the two forms of storage device will now be described with reference to FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, with the drawer 1 in the closed position in the shell 2, the control arm 13 abuts the underside of the shell 2 and this arm 13 is thereby held in a depressed position (FIG. 6A). With the control arm 13 in a depressed position, the control arm 14 is held up and, through the arm 14, the weight 11 is held above the platform 5. The projection 9 does not therefore project through the slit 10 and the drawer 1 may therefore be pulled out of its shell 2 by means of the handle 18 to the exterior of the wall or door.

As the drawer -1 is pulled out to the exterior the arm 13 is pulled beyond the shell 2 and is released from its contact with the underside of the shell 2. The weight 11 falls under gravity onto the platform 5. The platform pivots about the pivot 6 and the projection 9 extends through the slit 10. In falling, the weight 11 pulls the control arm 14 downwards and this arm 14 in turn causes the arm 13 to rise. Stops 19 are provided to prevent the drawer 1 from being completely drawn out of the shell 2.

When the drawer 1 has been pulled out an article can be placed in the drawer and the drawer 1 returned to its shell 2. As the drawer is returned the arm 13 abuts the edge of the shell 2 and is pushed back over the arm 14 against the action of the spring 17 as shown in FIG. 6B. The projection 9 which is now in a depressed position under the action of the weight 11 rides over a bar 20 which forms part of the shell 2. As the drawer is pushed further the arm 13 once again assumes a position of abutment with the underside of the shell 2 although the side of abutment is on the arm 13 opposite to that in the position shown in FIG. 6A. When the drawer has been pushed completely back the arms 13 ant 14 are in the position shown in FIG. 6C.

If an attempt is now made to pull out the drawer to the exterior of the wall or door the projection 9 abuts the bar 20, forming art of the base of the shell 2, thus preventing withdrawal of the drawer. The drawer 1 may, however, be withdrawn to the interior of the wall or door by means of the handle 24 so that the article deposited in it may be removed. On pulling the drawer 1 out to the interior the arm 13 is eventually pulled past the edge of the shell 2 and under the action of the spring 17 the arm 13 assumes the position shown in FIG. 6B. After removal of the article the drawer 1 may once again be returned to its shell 2. On returning the drawer the control arm 13 abuts the underside of the shell 2. This action depresses the arm 13 and raises the arm 14 thus lifting the weight 11 off the platform 5. Under the action of the magnets 7 and 8 the platform 5 pivots about its pivot 6 and the projection 9 is lifted out of the slit 10. The arms 13 and 14 once again assume the position shown in FIG. 6A and the drawer 1 may be pushed entirely into the shell 2. The storage device is then again ready for operation.

The operation of the device shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is similar to that of the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the device shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, however, the control arm 13 abuts the underside of the rail 21 forming part of the shell 2 when the drawer 1 is closed within the shell 2. With this device the drawer 1 may not be withdrawn to the exterior of the wall or door so far as to expose the locking device. Thus on withdrawing the drawer 1 by pulling on the handle 18 the drawer 1 is pulled far enough to allow the member 13 to be released from the rail 21.

Further withdrawal of the drawer 1 is prevented, however, by abutment of the stop 19 against a casing 22 defining the compartment enclosing the locking device. In this position of the drawer 1 the control arms 13 and 14 assume the position shown in FIG. 6B. The remaining operation of the drawer is the same as that' of the previous embodiment.

A number of the storage devices may be placed together in a panel.

What is claimed is:

1. A storage device comprising:

(a) a drawer arranged form mounting in an aperture from which the drawer may be withdrawn in either of two opposite directions,

(b) locking means having an operative condition in which said means prevent withdrawal of the drawer from a closed position in one direction and an inoperative condition in which drawer withdrawal is unimpeded by said means,

wherein the improvement comprises:

control means including a control member cooperable with a defining surface of the aperture for rendering the locking means operative upon opening the drawer in said one direction from a closed position with the locking means inoperative, whereby to pre vent further opening in said one direction upon the drawer being closed, said control member permittng return of the locking means to the inoperative condition upon withdrawal of the drawer in the other direction and subsequent return of the drawer to the closed position.

2. A storage device according to claim 1, in which said drawer is slidably arranged in a shell the walls of said shell defining said aperture.

3. A storage device according to claim 2, in which said control means comprise biassing means connected to said control member for urging said locking means into an operative condition.

4. A storage device according to claim 3, in which said locking means comprises a platform pivotally mounted in the base interior of said drawer and said platform comprises a counterweight in the form of a magnetic strip on one side of the pivotal mounting and a magnetic strip is arranged on the drawer floor adjacent the counterweight, said projection being arranged in an operative position so abut a defining surface of the aperture through a cooperating slit in the drawer floor in order to prevent withdrawal of said drawer in said one direction.

5. A storage device according to claim 4, in which said biassing means comprises a weight held above said locking means, in an inoperative position of said locking means, by said control member.

6, A storage device according to claim 5, in which said control member comprises two control arms pivotally connected together and to said drawer, one of said arms being pivotally connected to said biassing means and the other of said arms being adapted, in a closed position of said drawer, to abut said defining surface of said aperture.

7. A storage device according to claim 6, in which said locking means and said control means are disposed at the end of said drawer which first leaves the aperture when said drawer is pulled in said one direction and stops are provided to prevent said drawer from being completely withdrawn from said aperture in either of said two opposite directions.

8. A storage device according to claim 6, in which said locking means and said control means are disposed in a compartment in said drawer at the end of said drawer remote from the drawer end which first leaves the aperture when said drawer is pulled in said one direction and stops ure provided to prevent said drawer from being 75 completely withdrawn from said aperture in said other direction and Withdrawn to expose the compartment in said one direction.

9. A storage device accordi-ng to claim 8, in which said defining surface of said aperature includes a projection which extends in said one direction from said remote end of said drawer towards, but not up to, the other end of said drawer in the closed position of said drawer.

10. A storage devce according to claim 9, in which said projection comprises a rail fixed to the nterior of said shell and said control member abuts said rail in the closed position of said draWer and is released thereby 10 when said draWer is pulled in said one direction past the end of said rail.

References Cited REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

